


                 The Poluted Potomac


What can be more timely a subject than clean water?


The People of 50 States cry out for the Government to do 
something to clean up the waters of our Country. Save our rivers 
and streams. The Preservation and conservation of our waters will 
soon be more than a cry for help, it will very soon be a 
necessity.

  But let me tell you the story of the Poluted Potomac and of a 
man who not only told us but tried to do something about it. When 
George Washington brought his bride to Mount Vernon on the 
Potomac, the water was so clean and clear one could see fish 
swimming in the channel, the water could be used for drinking and 
cooking by the settlers.


During the next 13 years, Washington and his neighbors became 
aware of the silt which had washed down from the upper Potomac 
and was filling in the mouth of many of the small creeks. Logs 
and tree branches tossed into the river above the falls were a 
constant source of trouble to shipping.


April 11,1772- George Washington a member of the House of 
Burgesses, (age 40) became active in the promotion of an act 
adopted by the House of Burgesses for the improvement of the 
Potomac River. It was proposed that a program be adopted by the 
State of Maryland. The two States would adopt and enforce river 
traffic and the flow of debris.


1775 and the Revolutionary War interupted the program and 
although both States were very much concerned with the cleaning 
and development of the River, the program was set aside.

Washington was not alone in this great project of keeping the 
river clear and clean, but he was the spark-plug.

With the end of the War, Washington returned to Mount Vernon and 
the problem of rebuilding his fortune, Money was owed to him by 
those who had settled upon his lands in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

On September 1,1784, Washington set out with Bushrod Washington 
his nephew, Dr. James Craik and his son William Craik upon what 
was to be his last trip over the mountains to the west. It is 
fortunate that we have the well preserved ledger of this trip, 
which gives us a daily account of the journey, By the end of the
third day the party had traveled sixty miles from Mount Vernon 
and we begin to enjoy reading Washington's day by day account of 
the trip west. We also discover Washington's concern was not 
entirely financial. He had always been interested in opening the 
land west of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers.


As far back as 1778 during the Revolutionary War on one of those 
moments during the lull of war, Washington was talking with some 
of his officers concerning the future of the country, and made 
the following statement. "I believe and feel certain that the 
future success of our country will be the discovery of a passage 
between the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers with the Monongahela 
River. A quick portage at that point will open the trade to the 
Mississippi Valley."  After a pause he went on.  "I hope some
day to find it."


On the return trip, Washington noted in a letter to his neighbor 
Mr. Monroe. "September 28, Harpers Ferry (1784)"
"Dear friend, I have much to tell you when I return sometime in 
October, some of which can not wait the passage of time....I am 
shocked to say our beautiful Potomac is no longer beautiful in my 
eyes, for I have seen truly beautiful and clear waters west of 
the mountains such water that make out Potomac a hazard to a 
trapper from the west....We were obliged to spend one afternoon 
clearing  tree branches and logs from a narrow passage to get by. 
Much of the debris show marks of our settlers axe...We must begin 
now to do something about the enforcement of keeping our rivers 
free of obstructions...The water is no longer fit to drink from 
the river...."


Washington arrived home on October 4,1784, and was home but a few 
days when he began to write letters and began his lobbying for 
legislature between Virginia and Maryland to authorize the 
improvement of the Potomac River. As Navigation on the Potomac  
wasimportant to both Maryland and Virginia, they shared a common 
interest.


A mass meeting was held in Alexandria, Nov. 15, 1784, attended by 
gentlemen from both Maryland and Virginia. The Newspaper account, 
(in the Alexandria Gazette) of the meeting contained an 
interesting sentence. "This is perhaps a work of more political 
then commercial consequence, and it will be one of the Grandest 
chains for preserving the Federal Union."


But governments move slow, and time passed. How much can one man 
do? In a letter to his friend Major Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, 
Washington wrote the following.
"Mount Vernon 5th Feby. 1785."
"....We have nothing stirring in this quarter worthy of 
observation, except the passing of two acts by the assemblies of 
Virginia and Maryland for the improving and extending the 
navigation  of the River Potomac from tidewater as far up as it 
shall be found practicable, communicating it by good roads with 
the nearest navitable waters to the westward.....Books for 
receiving subscriptions are to be opened at Alexandria, and other 
places the 8th instant and continue so until the 10th of 
May...Etc."


The Maryland-Virginia Joint Commission on the navigation of the 
Potomac met in Alexandria on March 20, 1785, and continued the 
meeting at Mount Vernon where the compact was signed March 28, 
1785.




The Potomac Company was formed and Washington was named its 
President.That same summer, (1785) Washington and the directors 
made several inspections of the upper Potomac, they returned with 
many suggestions as to breaking through the rocks at Seneca Falls 
and which would open a few more miles of Navigation. A canal 
around the Great Falls area would provide access to the upper 
Potomac to the Shennandoah River, also a list of names of 
settlers and settlements who were to be charged with deliberately 
fouling the river water.


However; it was not to be so easy. If they had been dedicated to 
cleaning up the Potomac River  alone, they might have made some 
headway, but North Carolina Waters to the Elizabeth River, all 
parties wanted to get into the act, and it became of national 
interest. Even Pennsylvania was concerned over their Allegheny 
and Ohio Rivers.


Although, Madison on July 26th spoke of the urgency of General 
Washington on the late negotiations with Maryland, the outcome is 
part of National History. Both legislatures ratified the compact, 
but Maryland on Nov.21st, on a motion of Mr.Stone who had been a 
signer of the Document, and who asked for a further conference, 
and proposed the inclusion of Pennsylvania and Delaware. Both 
States accepted and Maryland appointed new Commissioners. This 
was the undoing of the commission.


Although the Virginia Legislature under Madison's direction 
quickly put through their resolution on Jan.21,1786, which 
ignored Congress and appointed commissioners to meet with such 
other commissioners as should be appointed, there were too many 
cooks in the Kitchen and too many had to be satisfied.


Negotiations went on and on with out anything being done. In a 
letter to Light-horse Henry Lee, Washington wrote one paragraph 
which showed his discontent, and which might be written today. 
The letter was dated Mount Vernon 31, Oct. 1786.  I am mortified 
beyond expression when I view the clouds which spread over the 
brightest morn that ever dawned upon any country. I am lost in 
amazement when I behold what intrigue. The interested views of 
desparate characters.

Ignorance, Jealousy of the minor part of our fellow citizens of
the Union;..... ......"


Washington was not just the President of the River Commission in 
name only. He was personally active and kept a close watch on the 
progress of all activities. In a letter to James Madison, dated 
Mount Vernon, Dec. 7th,1787. There is an excerpt which indicates
his knowledge of what was going on.


".....Much of the labor except at the Great Falls has been 
bestowed in the bed of the river in a removal of the rocks and 
deepening the water at the Great Falls......
The water there is taken into the canal about 200 yards above
the cataract, and conveyed by a level cut more than a mile to 
the lock seats, five in number........"


Although the work was begun on the canal under Washigton's 
direction and supervision. The Canal was not in opperation until 
after his death.


To show how weak the Potomac River Commission really was and how 
important Washington was to the entire project. In 1789 when 
Washington  was elected President of the United States, he had to 
resign as President of the Commission for political reasons. 
Almost immediately the entire commission folded up and faded from 
the picture.


If Washington were to return today, no doubt his anger might turn 
to tears as he Viewed the open sewer which now passed Mount 
Vernon.

